According to an update to the Killzone website, clans are “by far the hottest topic” and “the most requested feature”.

As a result, Guerrilla apologised for how long it’s taken to respond to this player feedback, and rather than making players wait, will roll the feature out in stages as it becomes ready.

The first phase adds limited clan features, displaying clan tags alongside player names in-game, and allowing for clan management through the website. It’s expected in patch 1.09, which is currently scheduled for a February release.

Although Guerrilla has promised “subsequent phases” will expand on these features, it didn’t provide details, noting only that future patches and site updates will evolve based on player feedback.

In other Killzone: Shadow Fall multiplayer news, the developer also expected to release free content such as maps, and will soon be announcing a DLC expansion pack.

]]>http://www.vg247.com/2014/01/21/killzone-shadow-fall-clan-system-expected-in-february-expansion-announce-coming-soon/feed/2Killzone: Shadow Fall has gone goldhttp://www.vg247.com/2013/10/21/killzone-shadow-fall-has-gone-gold/
http://www.vg247.com/2013/10/21/killzone-shadow-fall-has-gone-gold/#commentsMon, 21 Oct 2013 14:46:08 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=419450Killzone: Shadow Fall has gone gold, Guerilla Games has announced. The game’s executive producer has confirmed the news on Twitter. For the two of you that don’t know what gold means, it means the game is done and the discs are ready to be pressed.
Shadow Fall is a PlayStation 4 launch title and it will be available when the console launches this November. Thanks, NeoGAF.
]]>http://www.vg247.com/2013/10/21/killzone-shadow-fall-has-gone-gold/feed/17Killzone Shadow Fall Multiplayer will have dedicated servershttp://www.vg247.com/2013/09/28/killzone-shadow-fall-multiplayer-will-have-dedicated-servers/
http://www.vg247.com/2013/09/28/killzone-shadow-fall-multiplayer-will-have-dedicated-servers/#commentsSat, 28 Sep 2013 16:16:20 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=412618Yesterday, Killzone Shadow Fall Lead Designer Eric Boltjes held a presentation at Eurogamer Expo to show off the game’s multiplayer. Afterwards, he held a Q&A to expand upon some of the smaller details left out of his talk.

With November just around the corner and the PS4 hype train is just about to reach peak velocity, there’s plenty of PS4 launch title excitement to go around. It’s why we’ve been posting plenty about Killzone Shadow Fall.

Boltjes confirmed that Shadow Fall will have dedicated servers. However, the servers will only act as a hub between different game clients and any game logic will not be hosted on the servers. “Almost all logic relating to you (e.g. moving, shooting and taking damage) runs on your local PS4,” stated Boltjes, “with only a very small portion of the game logic (i.e. mission/scoring logic) running on the ‘session master’, one PS4 in the game selected for its connection quality.”

This means that people with slower Internet connections will have a better (keyword “better”) time playing the game than if matches were player-hosted. Of course, satisfaction is never guaranteed when you mix the disastrous formula of lag and competitive play.

Detailed on the game’s official website, one of the standout features of the shooter’s online multiplayer component is that 22 weapons will feature, with all of them being available at your disposal without having to achieve any extra goals to unlock any of them.

In addition to 19 different weapon attachments, the developer promises to support the title’s post-launch multiplayer experience via the “frequent release of paid DLC expansion packs that offer new gameplay and customization features”. That said, DLC multiplayer maps will be released for free “to prevent the player base from becoming fractured”.

You can view the full list of details below -

Player Mechanics

Most of the player mechanics available in the single-player campaign are now also available in multiplayer. This includes the cover system that allows you to snap in to/lean out of/vault over cover, as well as the sliding mechanic. In addition, the brutal melee system has been expanded with drop-down melees as seen in the single-player playthrough.

Weapons

Multiplayer features 22 different weapons, all of them unlocked from the get-go. Your ability to master the weapons is key, as each weapon has very different dynamics. For an in-depth look at the new weapons, read our “Guerrilla Armory” articles about the StA-55 Assault Rifle, the VC-15 shotgun pistol, the M55 assault rifle and the VC-30 shotgun. More weapon articles are coming to Killzone.com soon!

Attachments

There are 19 different weapon attachments in multiplayer, unlocked by completing specific challenges. You can use these to extend the functionality of your weapons in a variety ways, from enhanced scopes to new ammo types to secondary fire options. Adding attachments that complement your playing style can greatly enhance your combat effectiveness.

Classes & Abilities

There are three distinct classes and 12 unique special abilities in multiplayer. Each of the classes can be enhanced with up to two special abilities, allowing for some highly specialized playing styles. We’ll cover the three classes and their available abilities in more detail in the coming weeks, but we can already reveal that there will be a Placeable Spawn Beacon ability.

Custom Warzones

Warzones, with their trademark rotating mission modes, return to multiplayer with supercharged customization features. There are eight mission modes in total, four of which are new to Killzone. More importantly, you can customize these modes to your heart’s content and share your favorite settings with the rest of the community. We will regularly highlight popular and interesting community-created Warzones for you to try out.

Combat Honors

Combat Honors are temporary bonuses that can be activated by earning enough points during a round. These bonuses stay active for as long you continue play – when your play session ends, you lose your Combat Honors. Combat Honor bonuses range from an increase to movement speed to reduction in recoil.

Post-Launch Support

We aim to keep the post-launch multiplayer experience fresh through the frequent release of paid DLC expansion packs that offer new gameplay and customization features. At the same time, all DLC multiplayer maps will be released free of charge to prevent the player base from becoming fractured.

Killzone: Shadow Fall launches on November 15 in the U.S and November 29 in Europe as a launch title for PlayStation 4.

]]>http://www.vg247.com/2013/09/02/killzone-shadow-fall-mutiplayer-detailed/feed/19New Killzone: Mercenary screens break coverhttp://www.vg247.com/2013/05/20/new-killzone-mercenary-screens-break-cover/
http://www.vg247.com/2013/05/20/new-killzone-mercenary-screens-break-cover/#commentsMon, 20 May 2013 21:02:25 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=368628Guerilla Games has released a new bunch of Killzone: Mercenary screenshots and they look really beautiful. The new screens seem to be direct-captures and show off the game’s majestic world as well as featuring various characters, environments and textures. Killzone Mercenary releases in the US on September 10, in Europe on September 4 and in the UK on September 6. You can watch the screens after the break. Thanks, AGB.

]]>http://www.vg247.com/2013/05/20/new-killzone-mercenary-screens-break-cover/feed/10New Killzone: Shadow Fall teaser trailer sets up the plothttp://www.vg247.com/2013/02/27/killzone-shadow-fall-teaser-trailer-sets-up-the-plot/
http://www.vg247.com/2013/02/27/killzone-shadow-fall-teaser-trailer-sets-up-the-plot/#commentsWed, 27 Feb 2013 11:20:15 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=344337Killzone: Shadow Fall has received a new teaser trailer from Guerilla Games. It sets up a world 30 years after the events of Killzone 3, where the Helghast survivors want retribution, refusing to accept humanity’s pleas for forgiveness. Shit’s about to get real, it seems.

Others have not made announcements but their projects are pretty obvious; Polyphony Digital is almost certainly working on a new Gran Turismo, and SCE Santa Monica is likely prepping a new God of War.

A number of studios remain unaccounted for, though: Uncharted and The Last of Us developer Naughty Dog; portable-focused team Bend Studio; SCE Cambridge; SCE London; and the sports-centric SCE San Diego.

PlayStation 4 is due during the 2013 holiday period, although its European release date is uncertain.

]]>http://www.vg247.com/2013/02/25/ps4-all-sony-studios-working-on-next-gen-games/feed/17PS4 rumour: next-gen racer & Killzone studio projects to debut February 20thhttp://www.vg247.com/2013/02/06/ps4-watch-next-gen-racer-killzone-studio-projects-to-debut-february-20th/
http://www.vg247.com/2013/02/06/ps4-watch-next-gen-racer-killzone-studio-projects-to-debut-february-20th/#commentsWed, 06 Feb 2013 08:23:13 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=337134PS4 rumours are heating up, and recent rumblings suggest that a next-gen racer and the new project from Killzone studio Guerilla Games will debut at Sony’s ‘PlayStation Meeting’ event on February 20th.

This fresh rumour comes from STFUandPlay, and I know what we’re thinking – ‘who are they exactly?’ It doesn’t matter too much as a Polygon author using his NeoGAF handle ‘Aegies’ has gone on record to say that the rumour is true to his knowledge.

To be clear, that’s not the sort of thing a game writer does unless they’re damn sure.

So, the rumour in full then, is that Ged Talbot – ex-Bizarre Creations lead designer on Blur and several Project Gotham titles – has been hired by Motorstorm team Evolution Studios, along with other former employees.

They’re working on a next-gen racer for PS4 that was at one point pitched as a Gran Turismo title, although Sony Japan decided against the move for some reason. If true, this is the second next-gen racer in the works for Sony’s new console.

]]>http://www.vg247.com/2013/02/06/ps4-watch-next-gen-racer-killzone-studio-projects-to-debut-february-20th/feed/34Killzone Mercenary looks “Gorgeous”: engine almost the same as KZ3, says reporthttp://www.vg247.com/2013/01/28/killzone-mercenary-looks-gorgeous-engine-almost-the-same-as-kz3-says-report/
http://www.vg247.com/2013/01/28/killzone-mercenary-looks-gorgeous-engine-almost-the-same-as-kz3-says-report/#commentsMon, 28 Jan 2013 13:37:33 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=333771Killzone Mercenary has featured on the cover of Polish game magazine PSX Extreme, along with some debut game art – see it here. Keen gamers have now translated the article and have stripped it for news.

Gamers over on NeoGAF have mined the above feature and have unearthed a few nuggets of information.

First, is that the game is said to run on an engine that is almost identical to that of Killzone 3, developer Guerilla Game’s last outing for the franchise. New ‘gimmicks’ have been added to get the most out of the PS Vita’s touch controls, hence the slight engine shift.

The piece calls Killzone: Mercenary “Gorgeous” and states that it boasts crisp textures, impressive draw distances and ‘awesome’ character models.

Finally, they state that the game is essentially portable Killzone 3, looks better than Uncharted: The Golden Abyss and runs stably even with a lot of combat kicking off in the games wide areas.

Bear in mind the folly of translations however, and don’t treat these as iron clad facts until we get confirmation from Sony. Meanwhile, speculate away below.

]]>http://www.vg247.com/2013/01/28/killzone-mercenary-looks-gorgeous-engine-almost-the-same-as-kz3-says-report/feed/114Killzone Mercenary appears on Polish magazine coverhttp://www.vg247.com/2013/01/28/killzone-mercenary-appears-on-polish-game-magazine-cover/
http://www.vg247.com/2013/01/28/killzone-mercenary-appears-on-polish-game-magazine-cover/#commentsMon, 28 Jan 2013 09:17:49 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=333654Killzone Mercenary could be gearing up for some kind of reveal, following Sony’s initial announcement at gamescom 2012.

We initially covered the game’s reveal here following the Sony conference in Cologne. It’s a PS Vita-exclusive shooter that will see players fighting alongside Helgan forces, fulfilling contracts and taking down your mates in brutal fashion to complete hits.

“We have reviewed and assessed all current projects and plans for the short and medium term and have decided to make some changes to European studios,” said Sony in a statement. “As a result of this, there will be a realignment of resource within the studio to ensure that the studio is in the best position to achieve this.”

Sony said BigBig had been an “important part of SCE Worldwide Studios” since it was enveloped in 2007, but felt closing the developers would help it focus “on other studios that are currently working on exciting new projects.” The firm added that by doing so, it would be in a “stronger position to offer the best possible content for our consumers.”

Little Deviants launches alongside Vita in February, while a date for Studio Cambridge’s Vita version of Killzone has yet to be announced.

]]>http://www.vg247.com/2012/01/10/sony-closes-little-deviants-studio-cambridge-division-downsized/feed/0Killzone 3 trailer details engineer classhttp://www.vg247.com/2011/02/21/killzone-3-trailer-details-engineer-class/
http://www.vg247.com/2011/02/21/killzone-3-trailer-details-engineer-class/#commentsMon, 21 Feb 2011 23:26:10 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=150425How many Killzone 3 trailers can we fit in before launch? At least one more, this time featuring the engineer career path for those keen on blowing up the Helghast in more creative ways.

]]>http://www.vg247.com/2011/02/16/killzone-developer-influenced-by-half-life-uncharted/feed/4Guerilla: motion control is the future of FPShttp://www.vg247.com/2011/02/09/guerilla-motion-control-is-the-future-of-fps/
http://www.vg247.com/2011/02/09/guerilla-motion-control-is-the-future-of-fps/#commentsWed, 09 Feb 2011 01:36:40 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=146375Killzone developer Guerilla Games is so keen on motion control that one team member has said he believes in the future all FPS titles will utilise it.

“I think, as this develops, in a few years most of the first-person-shooters will be played like this,” Guerilla’s motion control head Tommy de Roos told CVG.

“I really think so. Maybe not the Move specifically but a pointing controller like this.”

In a separate interview with Ars Technica, de Roos said the Amsterdam-based studio toyed with the idea of creating a motion control version of Killzone 2.

“One of the first ideas was to create an on-rails version of Killzone 2,” he said. “But once we realized how much work that would be, since all encounters would have to be re-scripted, we decided against it.”

I don’t have any statistics to back this up, but I’d imagine that the Killzone 3 fanbase and those who regularly utilise the social space PlayStation Home are not hugely overlapping demographics. But maybe that will change now that the Central Plaza has been turned into a Killzone themed FPS.

Sadly, the change is not permanent and you won’t be able to respond to nagging friend requests with a BFG.

The US PS Blog reports that Home is to be made-over on January 27 into “Central Plaza defender”, a three-level FPS against the Helghast.

Completing challenges earns Home bonuses, while finishing all levels grants you unlock points for an instant boost in Killzone 3′s multiplayer.

Another feature of the makeover is an Amazon-enabled pre-order booth, where signing your name on the dotted line earns you some exclusive gear: a Killzone 3 jetpack for your HOME avatar; the Unlock and Load Pack, instant access to three Unlock Points to use on the weapon or ability of your choice in Killzone 3 multiplayer; and the Retro Map Pack, featuring two of the most popular maps from Killzone 2.

Guerrilla Games boss Hermen Hulst has confirmed at a press event for Killzone 3 in the US that Uncharted developer Naughty Dog is not helping out on the graphics engine for the shooter alongside the Holland-based studio.

It was reported last weekend that ND was helping GG out in some part, although that wasn’t exactly specified at the time. But at the US event, the first time most US journalists have seen the game, Hulst killed the rumour dead in its tracks.

Oh well. Would have been quite an awesome partnership if we do say so ourselves. That said, Guerrilla is going all out on Naughty Dog and God of War developer Sony Santa Monica with KZ3.

“We need to, right?” Hulst told VG247 in an interview at the game’s formal reveal in Amsterdam two weeks ago when asked if the shooter would need to try and beat God of War III and Uncharted 2 on a tech level.

“That’s what we do. We talk to those guys a lot, both the Santa Monica team and the guys at Naughty Dog, and that’s the little game between us as friends of the studios.

“Yes, we do that, but then again they’re working on their next games and they’re going to have to do better again. So absolutely: we need to do that.”

Update: Sony has replied to our request for confirmation of the May 2011 date for Killzone 3 with “no comment”.

Original:CVG‘s reporting that Sony’s already pinned down an internal release date of May 2011 for Killzone 3.

The only date officially given so far by SCEE is just 2011.

The site’s also reported that it will support PlayStation Move – something Guerilla boss Herman Hulst avoided answering to VG247 during a recent interview at the game’s formal reveal when asked if the motion device would support the shooter – as well as two separate co-op modes for two and four players, with the four-player co-op mode “objective based”.

CVG’s source also claims that the game’s multiplayer will feature vehicles in it, although hasn’t actually seen them in action.

Guerilla wouldn’t budge when it came to multiplayer at the reveal, but Hulst told us it would be discussed “”later this year”.

Guerilla Games head Hermen Hulst has told VG247 that he “needs” Killzone 3 to beyond the PS3 tech benchmarks set by first-party games since the release of Killzone 2 last February – including Uncharted 2 and God of War III.

In an interview with us at the shooter’s formal reveal in Holland earlier this month, he did say, however, the race to win on a technical level is seen as “a little game” between his studio, Naughty Dog and Sony Santa Monica.

“We need to, right?” said Hulst when asked if Killzone 3 would jump ahead of both UC2 and GoW III.

“That’s what we do. We talk to those guys a lot, both the Santa Monica team and the guys at Naughty Dog, and that’s the little game between us as friends of the studios.

“Yes, we do that, but then again they’re working on their next games and they’re going to have to do better again. So absolutely: we need to do that.”

Guerilla Games boss Hermen Hulst has said to VG247 that 3D in Killzone 3 will be “a fantastic way to immerse yourself” in the world of Helghan.

Speaking to us after the formal reveal of the shooter sequel in Holland last week, Hulst also said that if you don’t have a 3D TV, you won’t necessarily be getting the weaker of two presentations between 2D and 3D.

“I don’t necessarily think that should be the case,” said Hulst.

“3D is part of the same build. You’ve seen 2D and 3D right now. It’s something that we switch on. I personally think it helps a lot with reading the environment. The reason you can aim better is that you have more depth, and you can judge where your enemies are based.”

He went on to add: “I just know that in general, it’s a fantastic way to immerse yourself in that world, to transpose almost, to really feel that you’re there. Because of that, you get a great sense of where you are, for the depth and for the environment. In that sense, it really enhances.”

He also described in detail a little bit on how Killzone 3D would work.

“For instance, if you do a lean and peak, or if you have an object really close and take out your knife, it really comes out of the screen,” he said. “Other things are pushed back into the screen. It really creates such a deep sense of immersion that it helps you with things such as aiming, because you know where your enemies are. You get a better, more organic feel for where they sit.”

The game releases next year. Get our full interview with Hermen Hulst here.

If there’s one property that defines gaming fanboyism for this generation, it’s Killzone.

The announcement of Killzone 3 this week drags us back five years. A target render of Killzone 2 was shown at E3 in 2005 as a showcase for the capabilities of the incoming PS3, sparking what will go down in history as one of gaming’s great first-party controversies.

In the aftermath, SCEA CEO Jack Tretton claimed the footage was gameplay before SCEE’s Phil Harrison set the record straight, but the opening shots had been irrecoverably fired in a war still raging.

Hermen Hulst, managing director of Killzone developer Guerilla Games, still stands in the centre of the storm.

It was with great pleasure that we met Hermen in Amsterdam earlier this month, talking to him after seeing the closed premiere of what will surely be a defining videogame for this hardware generation, and one of the most visible first-person shooters in the world when it releases next year.

What follows is a must-read and a world first. Hit the link.

[Interview by Patrick Garratt]

First of all, I want to talk about Killzone 2. The 2005 reveal animation will pretty much go down in gaming history. It was amazing, for all sorts of reasons.

Hermen Hulst: You mean the E3…

Yeah, the target render. Do you think it was fair for your game to be used as a poster boy for PlayStation 3’s capabilities in general? What was it like to be at the centre of that sort of politics?

Hermen Hulst: It’s very much a double-edged sword in many ways. I think, on the downside, it was a humungous amount of pressure. The team, in 2005, was so very, very young. But I think, more importantly on the positive side, that the trailer was our creation. Me and the guys basically worked on it together; our team put it together; it was our vision for the title.

We had researched the capabilities of the PlayStation 3 extensively. We knew what was possible, and that was the vision that was communicated to the team internally, primarily. Then it was communicated externally, and that was the pressure I was talking about. What was great about it is that that’s what we love to do. We’re the kind of team that loves to take a platform and then really squeeze the maximum out of it. It’s very much what we’re about. It’s our DNA.

But going from the release of that trailer to the game’s actual ship, the whole development process pretty much defined internet fanboyism for this generation. It became a real beating stick in terms of PS3 and 360. Were you feeling a lot of pressure from the fans, or from Sony, or from yourselves, do you think?

Hermen Hulst: I think the pressure was very general. It’s not so much pressure from Sony as a publisher. Sony’s always been very generous, as you’re well aware, with the amount of time that we were granted to create this game. So that was fantastic. If you put your vision out there, you’re so committed to realising it, and that was a conscious decision. I stood by it all along. We needed to be big enough, and I guess that’s growing pains for a very young team; this was our first truly massive game. Killzone 1 was big, but Killzone 2 was our first big global 3D uptake. I think that’s what it was.

Going onto Killzone 3, then. Is this the game that you originally set out to make? There’s a classic quote from Jeff Haynes on IGN, I think, that said Killzone 2 only managed a 60 percent SPU load. Are you getting close to 90 or 100 percent? Are you realising your vision with Killzone 3?

Hermen Hulst: That’s a great quote, actually. I wasn’t aware of Jeff’s quote. But I think we’re pushing 100 percent right now. You see there’s steam coming out of the machine, almost. All the stuff that we’re squeezing. It’s got everything to do with the scale and the environments and the action that you’re seeing on the screen right now. As I was talking about earlier in the presentation, we’re having a footprint of a level that’s ten times bigger than the average Killzone 2 level. Killzone 2 was not a small game, but that was as far as we could push it back then. We’re going way overboard this time around, and I think we’re reaching the kind of maximum that we can do. But we always do that. We always find a way to go above and beyond.

You said that you’ve been looking at games like Uncharted 2 and God of War III, which really did represent a significant technical step forward. Do you think you’re going to leapfrog them technically and in terms of gameplay innovation? Do you think you’re going to go further?

Hermen Hulst: We need to, right? That’s what we do. We talk to those guys a lot, both the Santa Monica team and the guys at Naughty Dog, and that’s the little game between us as friends of the studios. Yes, we do that, but then again they’re working on their next games and they’re going to have to do better again. So absolutely: we need to do that.

I want to talk about 3D.

Hermen Hulst: Yeah.

Obviously, it’s quite a big deal for the game. You said some really interesting things in that presentation. You said that 3D means you can aim better. That has huge connotations for those that don’t have 3D. Are you saying that if you don’t have a 3D set-up then you’re actually getting a worse experience? Also, there are massive implications for multiplayer there. If someone’s playing in 3D are they going to be able to aim better than an opponent who’s playing in 2D?

Hermen Hulst: That’s a great question. I don’t necessarily think that should be the case. 3D is part of the same build. You’ve seen 2D and 3D right now. It’s something that we switch on. I personally think it helps a lot with reading the environment. The reason you can aim better is that you have more depth, and you can judge where your enemies are based. I actually haven’t tried playing 2D against 3D, so that’s kind of hard for me to answer. I just know that in general, it’s a fantastic way to immerse yourself in that world, to transpose almost, to really feel that you’re there. Because of that, you get a great sense of where you are, for the depth and for the environment. In that sense, it really enhances.

So there’s more object definition, basically?

Hermen Hulst: Yeah. Have you had a chance to…

Not yet.

Hermen Hulst: For instance, if you do a lean and peak, or if you have an object really close and take out your knife, it really comes out of the screen. Other things are pushed back into the screen. It really creates such a deep sense of immersion that it helps you with things such as aiming, because you know where your enemies are. You get a better, more organic feel for where they sit.

Another thing you showed off quite a lot in there was your “brutal melee system”. Can you explain some of the thinking behind including something that’s clearly so very violent in the game? What was the general thinking about including the system? The level of violence will obviously be questioned.

Hermen Hulst: I think brutal melee is just another part of us striving for a very cinematic war experience. As our movies have shown, it’s really cinematic, and particularly that slo-mo. I think that’s the essence of it. It’s a cinematic war experience, and it’s in no way intended to be a real-life experience.

It looks as though it’s QTE-based, and it looks as though it’s quite similar to Heavy Rain. Did you take any cues from Heavy Rain when you were creating the system?

Hermen Hulst: No, even though I know those guys very well, I don’t think there’s been any exchange of specific mechanics or technology with Quantic Dream. As much as I love what they’ve created, there weren’t any triggers from that.

You also said in there that there are more set pieces in the first three minutes of the level you’re showing than there are in an entire Killzone 2 level.

Hermen Hulst: Yes.

Can you just clarify that a little bit in terms of what you actually mean by set piece? How many set pieces were there in a Killzone 2 level?

Hermen Hulst: I personally haven’t counted them; the producers have. But going back to the Corinth River level [in Killzone 2], in the opening sequence you saw that bridge collapse, for instance, and that massive building collapse. Looking at the explosive destructibles that are in there now, all the stuff that’s blowing up; the exploding stuff and the destructible stuff is how we define it.

The levels are gigantic. Is there a capacity, then, to miss set pieces, to skirt around and miss bits of levels? I’m thinking in terms of replayability.

Hermen Hulst: I was just talking to the guys; we really need to put in a Trophy that says you’ve hit everything, to persuade you to go back and hit everything. It’s easy to miss something, for sure. But then again, you probably missed a lot in Killzone 2. That’s just a fact of life. We tried to set up our encounters in such a way that you get to see the most important bits, but when you want to have bigger levels and multiple paths and more exploration, there’s a replayability factor. And that’s fine at the end of the day.

I know you’re not talking about multiplayer today, but you’re going to be talking about it later on in the year, right? Are you going to be talking about it at gamescom?

Hermen Hulst: I don’t know when exactly. We’re going to be talking about that with the PR guys. Definitely later this year we’re going to be giving you more information.

Can you give us a brief overview? I mean, there are a lot of new mechanics in there. You’ve got the jet pack, new weapons…

Hermen Hulst: In the multiplayer, you mean?

Yeah. Is there stuff that we’re seeing today, like the jet pack, going to be accessible in the multiplayer?

Hermen Hulst: I can’t comment on what’s in, whether or not the jet pack is in. We’ll talk about things like that later. I can tell you that it’s massive. I can tell you that it includes a lot of innovation. We’re doing very ambitious things with multiplayer. One of the things we’re striving for is a great deal of accessibility. That’s one of our lessons learned. We want it to be usable for a wider audience. We’re opening it up.

Just talking about mechanics, then. You actually patched the default control settings on Killzone 2 to make them more sensitive. There was a dead-zone issue on the right stick. Are you confident you’re going to be able to avoid a similar situation with Killzone 3?

Hermen Hulst: Absolutely. I think you’re referring to that 1.27 upgrade. We did a big fix back then, but from then onwards we’ve continually improved our controls in terms of responsiveness and in terms of addressing conventions that have arrived. That said, we’re creating a very specific experience, so we’ve been play-testing out controls all along, and I’m very confident that when we come out with Killzone 3 we’ll come out with a game with controls that are very usable and very great to use for the majority of the group.

With Killzone 3, do you think you’re trying to define PlayStation 3 as a console, to define its capabilities?

Hermen Hulst: We always try to do that.

Do you think you will?

Hermen Hulst: I really hope that in some way we achieved that with Killzone 2, and we’re now taking it a step further. You know, 3D is such a big part of our offering, and we’re trying to create the best implementation of a 3D experience, so in that sense, absolutely. Again, that’s what we’re about as Guerilla Games. We keep trying to define PlayStation experiences in every way.

Do you expect the same level of vociferousness from the fans? Do you expect to get bonkers fan feedback?

Hermen Hulst: I can only hope for that, right? The amount of attention we’ve been granted from the community has been absolutely fantastic, and if we get that again, fantastic. Of course, that kind of attention and acclaim is what you want when you create videogames; that’s what you want as a creative; that’s what you do it for. In the meantime we’re trying to create the best possible game, but with Killzone 3 I think we made a very conscientious decision that we are going for a lot of variety.

Looking back at Killzone 2, it really defined what we could do at that specific moment. But we also felt that we could offer a more diverse experience. With Killzone 3 you’re going to see that every single level you play is set in a very unique environment with a specific experience, so that’s probably the starting point for the project.

I went to see Crysis 2 in New York recently, and Crytek were massive on story. It’s a large part of what they talked about: story, story, story. They really see it as a route forward for FPS, that an essential part of modern shooting is to have an integrated plot, and to deliver plot through the environment. Would you agree with that?

Hermen Hulst: Absolutely. I think it’s increasingly important. It used to be that if you created a game that had great gameplay and an improper story, that was fine. Actually, in that regard I think Uncharted 2 has been a game-changer. Those guys have done such a brilliant job with fantastic dialogue that it’s set a new bar, and everyone has to step up. In Killzone 3 specifically, story, dialogue, character-building is a massive deal. We’ve invested a lot. All of our creatives are involved in the story. We’re employing specific talent, and we’re going a lot more Hollywood with our talent casting. In all aspects, then, I would fully agree with that comment.

Last question, then. Are you going to be supporting Move?

Hermen Hulst: Move? So, I can only talk about the features that we’re showing today. I can tell you that Move is a fantastic hardware feature we’ve got, that we’ve had a great time playing party games, and we have SOCOM back at the office. I think it’s a great feature.

We’ll cut a long story short. We went to Amsterdam in mid-May to interview Guerilla and play Killzone 3. We spoke to studio managing director Hermen Hulst and played the game in both 2D and 3D. The original embargo for coverage from the event was June 1, but thanks to leaks from the US press over the weekend (sincere, heartfelt thanks for that), the embargo was brought forward this afternoon. A lot. To today.

You’ve probably already seen a few hands-on pieces (there’s one on IGN and Eurogamer‘s just gone live) but you’ll have to wait until tomorrow for ours. We’ll have the interview with Hermen for you as soon as we can, but in the meantime you can find audio of Hermen’s entire demo below.

There’s a ton of information in there, and it’s well worth a listen. Stay tuned for more. Get first shots here and the reveal PR here.

Update: We’ve had to remove this at Sony’s request. We’ve got an interview and playtest on the way for you, though.

Take with a serious pinch of salt, but according to Eurogamer.de (via TSA), Guerilla Games has confirmed Killzone 3 on a Dutch TV show.

Animation director Jan-Bart Van Beek was on the said show, and confirmed the existence of the game. He also confirmed they are planning for a 2011 release, although it could be released in 2010. There is no pressure from SCEE to deliver the game for 2010 though, apparently.

Last month, it was reported that the game was in development in the US OPM.

Again, take with a very large pinch of salt. We’ll email SCEE about this one, and see what they have to say.

To celebrate the release of its new map pack for Killzone 2, amongst other things, Guerilla is hosting a Double XP Weekend on PSN.

Starting today until Monday morning, games created will give you extra XP to help rank quicker andunlock Badges.

A Win will earn you a 2.5 multiplier and a Loss will still grant you the normal multiplier for a Win: 1.5. This applies only to individual points, not Clan Valor and will be available in all regions, and if you spot a fella with GG in front of the handle – go for ‘em. It’s one of the Guerilla guys.